The invention pertains to an automatic assembly or production machine.
Assembly machines of this type are generally known and are used, for example, for the automatic production or assembly of components or sub-assemblies of individual components that are supplied to work stations and assembled onto the components or assembled sub-assemblies that are moved past on the receptacles and conveyed to the work stations by means of these receptacles, so that the components or sub-assemblies are assembled successively on the receptacles. The receptacles are, for example, arranged on a rotating table element.
The work stations can also be partially conceived as inspection stations. Each work station is located at a work position. When the components have very small dimensions, a very accurate and precise arrangement of the receptacles on the periphery of a rotating table is necessary.
The object of the invention is to provide an automatic production machine that is characterized by a simple and universal construction such that this production machine (also the basic unit of this machine) can be used for various purposes, whereby it is only necessary to configure or select certain functional elements according to the individual application. To solve this problem, an automatic production machine with a rotor that is rotatable around a vertical machine axis (V), and having several receptacles on the periphery of the rotor for components or work pieces to be assembled or for subassemblies, with a central drive means for the rotor for moving the receptacles in a cyclic movement from one work position to the next. Each work position has primary functional elements with a common control unit for them driven by a central drive assembly and producing controlled movements of the elements in at least one axial direction (A,B) in synchronization with the cyclic rotary movement of the rotor, wherein the common control direction of all the primary functional elements has at least one common plate-like lifting element that forms a control or cam surface with which the control elements work together to produce the movements on or in the one axis (A,B). The disk cam for a stroke in the direction of the machine axis (V) is provided for on a lifting or tie rod, which is guided in a central part of the machine frame and the axis which is parallel to the machine axis (V), but radially offset from it.
A further aspect of the invention presents an assembly machine with versatile applications. To solve this problem an assembly machine with a jig stand and with at least one rotatable table element located on the jig stand with several receptacles provided on the periphery of the table for components to be assembled.
A special feature of this assembly machine according to the invention, lies in the fact that the receptacles are connected by means of sockets on the periphery of the rotating table element and can thus be easily installed and removed or exchanged. Nevertheless, the special construction of the retainers ensures precise positioning and guiding of the receptacles after inserting them.